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Hail Sonoma. 11-11-15

(EM Willow)
This meeting will replace our usual Governors meeting this month. I wanted to go over some stuff with everyone.

Governors meeting will now take place the second Wednesday every month. Same time as usual, 7pm pacific/10 Eastern. Now if I am unable to make this meeting for some reason I will be letting you know and reschedule. But I hope to be able to have a regular time and date so that everyone knows when it is.

I think this will help attendance. Also I posted something on Stratics about guidelines to being a governor. I want to go over them with you tonight.

(Clym of Cough)
I have a question about protocol for the Governor meetings.

(EM Willow)
I believe you may have seen this before. Ok Clym, what is your question?

(Clym of Cough)
Next time we have a Governor meeting, and and if I come, am I supposed to address the King as Sire, or just Heil after the severe restriction list.

(EM Willow)
Well I believe it is common sense. I am going to go over the points of the post right now. Just so everyone understands. That post was made when the Governor's system was new, but can still be found on the Atlantic forum on Stratics.

(Katrina)
We are not GL or Atl. Such severety for a sleepy shard.

(EM Willow)
Most of the other EMs have copy pasted it as well. Well I want you to understand better what MY job is and what I am required to do so that you understand I'm not asking you to plan events or anything like that. I do need you all to know that when I or anyone is suited as the King we required to role play that position at ALL times.

That means there is no such thing as other shards, or Mesanna or EMs or any of that. If I say anything with that outfit on that means I am speaking as the King, Not as EM Willow.

King Blackthorn has a long history with Sosaria. He has his own personality. That means when you address him or the table at the Governors meeting you should also be role playing your character (as best as you can) You don't have to like the King. You do have to role play the character you are on though. The king has the right to throw anyone out that is not respecting his command. So while you are role playing a character that thinks Blackthorn should not be king. Suggesting to overthrow his govern will be met with oh.. stern opposition.

(Katrina)
We had to do raise funds as it is to keep governors on the shard...

(EM Willow)
The easist way to raise funds now is to do champion spawns. After you declare loyalty to a city. If you go to a champ spawn you gain loyalty as well as gold for your city. Also doing the quests for Slim the fence is another fun way to gain gold.

(Miri)
It does?

(EM Willow)
Doing events that have a "Cover Charge" for donations to your city. Holding an auction as Queen Mum did. There are a lot of ways to earn money for your stone. Next thing I wanted to cover is #3 on the post. I touched on it a little. One of the ways you can be replaced as Governor. Governors serve at the pleasure of the King both IC and OOC, if you cannot stay in character constantly cause OOC problem in an IC environment, or fail to do your duty as Governor. The King can replace you. This is not an orbitrary thing. As an EM I will have to back up my decision to Mesanna with proof. SO don't expect this to happen unless you're really giving the king a hard time. Its really hard to play a character when the people you are playing with aren't playing along. SO yes, address the king as you would a real king. Sir, Your Highness etc.. It's not to much to ask.

#4 on the list is about election impropriety. We've not had that on this shard (thank goodness). But keep in mind griefing in UO is uh.. frowned upon.

#5 is something I hadn't realized and didn't know. So I am as guilty as they come. #5: The purpose of the Governor's Council is not to decorate the towns or place trash cans at banks. The King is not an interior decorator, nor is he a gardener, or a trash collector. If you want a trash can at your bank, ask Mesanna, not the King. <----Per Mesanna. Now on the other hand. You are allowed to make one large scale request per term (6 mos).

A large scale request can be almost anything. That is how we got all those docks. Some cities have asked for anything from archery buttes to prisons, libraries. If you can imagine it, it may be possible. You have to actually provide building materials to get the large shard requests.

*OOC, just some chat about the Governor's term length, 3 mos vs 6 mos*

(Katrina)
Well before we ask about any additions to the shard first I'l like to know if the Counselor hall is going to be empty forever? Do we get past EM's history back to the hall?

(EM Willow)
I had requested a design for the counselors hall. But because this area is decorated we decided I didn't need another. Especially since we have the Meet and Greet house. The memories of the past EMs will live forever.

(Clym of Cough)
I would like to hear more about the old EM artifacts and what happened to them also.

(EM Willow)
We have a reward hall. For the purpose of remembering old events and EMs.

(Katrina)
It has been that way for so many years why change now?

(Clym of Cough)
oh, ok then I can go and see the ones from the counselor hall there?

(EM Willow)
The Counselors hall was my fault. When I started I was told I could redecorate. Mesanna came on and started clearing things out and then said "Wait you have Serpents Hold". I said yes maam I do but I wanted to do it here. She said you don't need it you already have there AND the house near the brit gate. I said yes maam and moved on.

(Miri)
So the items are gone?

(EM Willow)
I think I have the sashes somewhere, and whatever I myself could unlock. The rest is gone. Yes

*OOC, sadness was felted by all, Katrine and Clym most of all.*

(EM Willow)
Was it something that can not be replaced? The shards history is supposed to have been in the reward hall in the first place.

(Clym of Cough)
When most of those items were placed the reward hall did not exist to my knowledge.

(Queen Mum)
Correct Clym.

(EM Willow)
That reminds me. Also I am no longer allowed to lock down donated items.

*The question "why?" was asked*

We will be able to decorate but I have to request specific decorations from Mesanna. Because it's been getting bugged out and Ems have been unable to unlock things. So to save trouble she wants to give us the items to decorate with so there aren't any more incidents of EMs locking things down themselves. If there are specific requests for decorations I will be happy to put in the requests. So please email me with suggestions for decorations.

*OOC, more chat concerning deco in the cities, a moongate in brit, Snow storm in December, etc..*

(EM Willow)
I am more heart broken that I have upset you all with the whole counselors hall thing.

OCC, questions asked, how to reach the PEC and what storm in Demember.

That is another reason I think Mesanna is having us stop locking things down ourselves. There is a lantern in Luna on the table with the PEC's email address.

Yes Queen Mum they are calling for a bizzard in December.

When you email the PEC make sure you also CC Mesanna, they both have to get the email.

Now back to the Governors guidelines. Number 6. If you not a governor but wish to address the king it should go through your city's governor. If you do not trust your governor or there is some scandel you may request to be called upon.

Number 7, The three minute rule. I see how some shards have a problem with time. We do not.

Number 8 is about trade deals. A lot has changed since they put auto renew on the trade deals. There have been little to no complaints about this now. Just remember as governor you are there for the people. You are your people's voice. If they request a change in the trade deal lets try to help them out as best as we can. Unless you are role playing a tyrant. Which is very much allowed. Just remember the King can overrule everyone if he wants to throw his weight around he will.

Number 9. I reiterate. Every second Wednesday of the month is Governor Meeting day. If you cannot make a meeting I request you email me ahead of time if possible. That is what is considered an "Excused absence". If you missed 3 or more meeting in a row and someone REQUESTS your seat the king will give it away without notice.

If you have excused absences and you havent been able to make meetings, then the King will contact you to discuss the situation and see if you are able to perform your duties as governor. The best way to show that you should keep your seat is to do things in the name of your city, hold a festival, have a fishing contest something to the King know you are there and you care. If something is happening in your city the King will never replace you.

OOC, question was ask regarding Attendance

Yes I wanted to mention about attendance. Governor meeting attendance does count towards your rank. The problem I think I had last cycle. I have discovered that all names does not show me the names of hidden people. So as I was taking names during events I may have missed people who were invised or hidden. That is my error and I will be correcting it, BUT you still must be actively participating to get participation points that means anything from healing to fighting or role playing while I am in character.
If I am running around in a costume as a bad guy its ok to yell at me and tell me to begone! We will not have your kind here! Or other such role play. If I am a weakling give me your coat or help me down the road or whatever.

If it is not fun for you that is ok too. But you won't get the extra point boost some other are getting. Some people just don't enjoy role playing. But after a long discussion with a couple EMs about the subject these rank items are meant for the people who participate in a deeper level. I sill give them out just for showing up but you will see people getting higher ranks then you are unless you are playing along too. Now I suggest you check on sonoma.uoem.net for the governors guidelines to meetings. I can only go by what records I have. I put tally marks next to people names then count them up. If someone got more tally marks then someone else it's simple because they did more with the story line, they wrote reports, they participated. I also want to mention I have been trying to do month long story arcs with at least two events that pertain to the specific story. I post the events usually the first week of the month. If you are a governor and would like to participate in the story arc we can do that perhaps something can happen in your city that goes along with the story line. This is above and beyond your PEC player events. This is EM event that just happen to occur in the city you govern. I cannot go beyond how long been on the shard. You can't expect that. Every 6 months I count attendance and tally accordingly. It is not an easy task I am not required to do it. When I see you at an event I write your name down. I also take screen shots to back up my numbers. When I see you participating in the story I put a tick mark next to your name. When I get a guard report in the reward hall mailbox you get multiple tick marks. Then I add them all up and then add that number to your previous total. Would you rather I stop doing the guard rewards?

OOC, remark was don't particilarly care about getting promotions for myself but a lot of people that live here are more deserving. Question, maybe titles not rewards.

(EM Willow)
Then those people can talk to me or email me or go over my head to Mesanna. I will ask Mesanna if she does titles. I am not sure honestly. Ive gotten more complaints though. It would be much easier for me to just throw in another event during the month. A dungeon crawl or something. So if you all are unhappy with the whole guard system email me.OOC, question concerning the OLD guard training ground and using it. Most were against using it

Do you all find that running that course is fun? Don't be afraid to be honest guys this is what I need to hear.

OOC, of course there was a 30/70 split on the course, most saying ney, after which the meeting more or less ended for the evening

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